1. Field
Example embodiments of the following disclosure relate to a robot cleaner that executes a cleaning operation, while avoiding various obstacles, which are present in a space to be cleaned, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a robot cleaner is an apparatus, which uses suction to remove foreign substances or particles, such as dust, from a floor surface to clean a region of the floor surface to be cleaned while autonomously travelling about the region to be cleaned without being manipulated by a user. Such a robot cleaner detects through various sensors an obstacle, such as a piece of furniture, office supplies, or a wall, located within the region to be cleaned, and cleans the region while travelling without colliding with the obstacle, using the detected information.
Cleaning of a given region using the robot cleaner means a process of repeatedly executing a cleaning operation of the robot cleaner while travelling along a predetermined travelling pattern. In the region where such a robot cleaner travels, obstacles, such as an object, a piece of furniture, etc., having a projection or an inclined surface may be present. These obstacles may cause lifting of the driving wheels of the robot cleaner (hereinafter, referred to as ‘lifting’) and jamming of a main body of the robot cleaner into a narrow space (hereinafter, referred to as ‘jamming’) during a process of executing the cleaning operation of the robot cleaner, thus causing a travelling disenable state, and preventing the robot cleaner from properly executing the cleaning operation.
Generally, robot cleaners are not provided with sensors sensing such ‘lifting’ or ‘jamming’. However, generally robot cleaners are provided with sensors which execute limited functions by sensing such a travelling disenable state and stopping driving of the robot cleaner under the condition that the robot cleaner may not travel due to the ‘lifting’ or ‘jamming’, and thus, may not avoid an obstacle prior to ‘lifting’ or ‘jamming’ or not effectively overcome ‘lifting’ or ‘jamming’.